Volume 44 Issue 10 • November 2014 MN School Bus Safety Expo Agenda, MSBOA Member Survey and much more! Operator The Save the Date!!!! January 16-17, 2015 By Shari Danzeisen Plans are underway for the 2015 MN School Bus Safety Expo! The 2 day conference will be held in St. Paul again at the Crowne Plaza with the trade show held at the River Centre. One important change to take note of this year will be the trade show moving from Friday afternoon to mid-day, Saturday, January 17th. This will allow for our mechanic attendees to also attend the show, and the members who are unable to attend on Fridays to partake as well. This is the largest and most comprehensive trade show in Minnesota! We have some exceptional and timely topics planned for the Expo. We will start our conference on Friday morning with the MSBOA and MAPT Board Meetings separately from 8:00-10AM. The general session will begin at 10AM with the Minneso- ta Department of Education doing a presentation on Special Education Transportation and Annual Reporting. After lunch, our next session will focus on the new Safe and Supportive Schools Law. This law will impact bus operations because transportation has the same responsibilities as schools when it comes to preventing and reporting bullying. Next to discuss will be the legalities and best practices regarding cameras and video viewing. Who is allowed to view video footage from the bus and when? We hope to shed some light on this ever growing issue on buses. From 3-4PM, the MSBOA and MAPT will again separate to hold their general business meetings. Friday evening, we will be having the vendor sponsored social in the “Windows on the River” rotating rooftop lounge. Plan for an evening of food, fun, socializing and entertainment. On Saturday morning, the mechanics seminar will begin. Each bus body vendor (Hoglund Bus & Truck, North Central, and Telin Transportation Group) will each sponsor 2 sessions from 8-9 and 9-10AM. The general session for attendees will also begin Saturday morning with a presentation entitled “Retaining Quality Employ- ees” from 8-10AM. One of the biggest issues the school bus industry is facing is finding qualified, quality drivers and keep- ing those employees! The trade show will start at 10:30AM at the River Centre. We will be serving lunch at the trade show. At 1:30PM the State Patrol will wrap up the conference with important updates to the school bus industry. Register online at www.msboa.com
Transcript
Volume 44 Issue 10 • November 2014
MN School Bus Safety Expo Agenda, MSBOA Member Survey and much more!
OperatorThe
Save the Date!!!!
January 16-17, 2015By Shari Danzeisen
Plans are underway for the 2015 MN School Bus Safety Expo! The 2 day conference will be held in St. Paul again at theCrowne Plaza with the trade show held at the River Centre.
One important change to take note of this year will be the trade show moving from Friday afternoon to mid-day, Saturday,January 17th. This will allow for our mechanic attendees to also attend the show, and the members who are unable to attendon Fridays to partake as well. This is the largest and most comprehensive trade show in Minnesota!
We have some exceptional and timely topics planned for the Expo. We will start our conference on Friday morning with theMSBOA and MAPT Board Meetings separately from 8:00-10AM. The general session will begin at 10AM with the Minneso-ta Department of Education doing a presentation on Special Education Transportation and Annual Reporting.
After lunch, our next session will focus on the new Safe and Supportive Schools Law. This law will impact bus operationsbecause transportation has the same responsibilities as schools when it comes to preventing and reporting bullying.
Next to discuss will be the legalities and best practices regarding cameras and video viewing. Who is allowed to view videofootage from the bus and when? We hope to shed some light on this ever growing issue on buses.
From 3-4PM, the MSBOA and MAPT will again separate to hold their general business meetings.
Friday evening, we will be having the vendor sponsored social in the “Windows on the River” rotating rooftop lounge. Planfor an evening of food, fun, socializing and entertainment.
On Saturday morning, the mechanics seminar will begin. Each bus body vendor (Hoglund Bus & Truck, North Central, andTelin Transportation Group) will each sponsor 2 sessions from 8-9 and 9-10AM.
The general session for attendees will also begin Saturday morning with a presentation entitled “Retaining Quality Employ-ees” from 8-10AM. One of the biggest issues the school bus industry is facing is finding qualified, quality drivers and keep-ing those employees!
The trade show will start at 10:30AM at the River Centre. We will be serving lunch at the trade show. At 1:30PM the State
Patrol will wrap up the conference with important updates to the school bus industry.
Register online at www.msboa.com
The old adage.... SPRING AHEAD....FALL BEHIND seems to be way tootrue this year. The MSBOA board of directors had their Fall 2014 meet-ing on Oct. 8th, 2014 and the main topic of discussion (along with a fewothers) was centered on what is the biggest problem we are facing as anindustry. Wait for it.....here it comes....you all know theanswer......its.....DRIVER SHORTAGE.
We had 13 of the 16 board members present and the 3 that could not attend were unable to do sobecause they all had to drive routes that day.... either morning or afternoon or both. We took a show ofhands to see who had driven or would be driving during that week....and 100 % said they had or wouldbe driving that week.
We seem to be experiencing what I would call a severe shortage of school bus drivers. Whether it be routedrivers, sub drivers, school bus charter drivers or motor coach drivers everyone seems to be hurtingindustry wide. We all need to think outside the box to get new people in the door to become drivers.
Get the word out to your communities whether it be via newspaper advertising, Craig’s list adds, postingsat local colleges and universities, parking a bus with a banner on it .....or whatever.
Don’t forget the best and most tried and true way to get new people in the door........encourage your exist-ing employees to send people they know in to apply. Existing employees know what it takes and who willmake a good driver......they know who and what their friends are made of....and they also know who willrepresent our industry as well as they do. Encourage them through notices or company newsletters or bysimple word of mouth.
To those of you who are not experiencing the driver shortage.......tell us how you have reached that point!No one is too set in their ways to not be able to learn a new way to get the job done. Send us an e-mailor call with any good ideas you might have to share.
To those of you who are enjoying the Minnesota National Holiday of “Deer Season 2014” be safe andgood luck. (We’ll compare stories at the upcoming Winter Convention).
Stay Safe and Be Kind!Sincerely,Rudy Lundahl, President of MSBOA
VIEWS PRESENTED IN THISNEWSLETTER MAY NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THEOPINIONS OF THE ENTIRE MEM-BERSHIP OR ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
PRESIDENT
RuDy LuNDAHL
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
JOSH SCHiFFLER
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
BRiAN kOCH
TREASURER
TOM HEy
From the PresidentRudy LundahlVoyageur Bus Company, Duluth, MN
At the time of this writing, the 2014 Mid-term elections for united States Senate, Governor, 8united States Congressional seats, and all 134 State House members are four days away.Hope you all voted. This November’s election will determine whether control of State Gov-ernment will remain in one political party’s control, the DFL, or if the GOP will gain control ofthe Minnesota State House and or the Governor’s office. The State House and the Gover-nor’s office, for the next two years, will have the potential to most affect your business for bet-ter or worse. The State Senate is not up for reelection until 2016, and is controlled by a DFLmajority.
MSBOA is in the early stages of compiling a list of issues of interest and importance to members. As a part of that process,we are asking members who have ideas or areas of concern that MSBOA could address at the State Capitol to provide thosesuggestions to me or the MSBOA office. Even if members just have the beginnings of a concern, MSBOA will be able andwilling to help flesh out concepts and achieve a solution to bring to the State Capitol for consideration by the Legislature.Less than nine weeks after the elections, the 2015 Legislative Session will begin in early January and continue till the endof May.
Some items of interest to MSBOA members are already apparent and are in the process of being organized into action.MSBOA is planning to meet with Driver and Vehicle Services and the Office of Pupil Transportation Safety to begin talks todevelop better processes for licensing, background checks, medical cards, equipment inspections, and other areas of con-cern that have resulted over the past year. if members have any examples of difficulties or timeliness of interaction withState Government regarding the operation of your businesses, then please let us know either by phone or email. your exam-ples will be very helpful as we present our concerns to Legislators when the Legislative Session begins.
One of the issues certain to continue to be reoccurring at the State Capitol will be whether or not to increase the gas/dieseltax, or to institute a whole-sale sales tax on gas/diesel. Last time the gas tax was raised was in 2008. During a very con-tentious political time Governor Pawlenty vetoed the gas tax proposal to then have his veto overridden by the Legislature.At least five Legislators either lost their seats in intra-party GOP primary elections or chose not to run for
re-election because of their votes in favor of increasing the motor fuels tax. A whole-sale sales tax on motor fuels at therefinery “rack” would definitely be passed on to the consumer in the form of increasedprices likely to be 20-30 cents a gallon. Since it would be a sales tax, the higher the priceof fuel the higher the % sales tax would generate. unlike a per gallon tax increase of 5-8 cents that many in the roads, bridges, business community have started to accept andmay support. Legislators of both parties are considering a per gallon tax increase,whereas support for the sales tax option is much less. Presently, it appears that propo-nents of transit funding are the only ones seriously proposing the sales tax on fuels.
MSBOA recently received a request to meet with a group of transportation related orga-nizations that is calling themselves “Coalition Against Bigger Trucks.” The group is madeup of law enforcement, city and county governments, Teamsters, and the united Trans-portation union. Last year the Minnesota State Trucking Association support efforts toincrease the weight limits off trucks traveling on Minnesota roads. The trucking industryis having the same driver shortages that MSBOA members are feeling. This coalitioncontends that schools bus operator groups in other states have been active in support-ing their efforts and are requesting our support. At this time MSBOA has not met with thiscoalition, and MSBOA has not made a decision whether or not to get involved. Staytuned.
Recently in the Twin Cities, a driver was stopped by the State Patrol after the Patrol wascontacted by an operator when the driver failed to arrive at his destination more than anhour late. The company had the bus, think it was a Type iii, equipped with a trackingGPS. it turns out the driver was lost and was only the second day of the driver’s newroute.
Continued on Page 11.
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Need legal Help? It’s Just a
Phone Call Away!As a valued member of Minnesota School Bus Oper-ator's Association, you are entitled to using ThomasRevnew of Seaton, Peters & Revnew Legal Hotlinefree of charge. During each six month period, youwill be entitled to two free fifteen-minute telephonecalls to the Hotline. MSBOA encourages you to usethis free service. When using the hotline, please fol-
low the following procedure:
1. Call Tom Revnew's direct dial, which is (952) 921-4622.
2. Identify yourself, your company name and that you are a client of MSBOA.
3. If Tom Revnew is not available, please leave a voicemail with the information described above and Tom will return the call as soon as possible.
4. If Tom Revnew is not available and your call is an emergency, please dial "0" when you receive Tom's voicemail and you will be transferred to the receptionist.
Why Attend the
Minnesota School Bus Safety expo?1. The Education is always refreshing and relevant. you can always take away something that is useful for your business.
2. Re-energize! Often we get bogged down with the details of daily life…pressure to fix that special needs route, deal witha driver issue, communicate with the school about a student management issue, etc. Stepping away for a day or two canhelp you focus on the big picture again. you can feel motivated again and appreciate the daily challenges – because youlove it! Right?
3. Getting together with and making new friends! it’s great to find commonality with people who understand just what youdo all summer long…or in between the hours of 10 – 2 every day…because answering that question never gets old!!
4. you never know who you will meet that could change things for yOuR Business. Maybe you meet a vendor or col-league that has a solution to a problem that you need solving. Maybe you are the person that helps someone else. youwon’t know unless you try!
And lastly I will leave you with a quote on associations from President Theodore Roosevelt who was a great advo-cate of associations:
“every man owes a part of his time and money to the business or industry in which he isengaged. no man has a moral right to withhold his support from an organization that is strivingto improve conditions within that sphere.”
Register online at www.msboa.com
School Bus Drivers – The Struggle to Find Drivers Is On By Robbie Elliott, Safety Manager Richard’s Transportation in Moorhead, MN
The struggle is on, and it’s on in full force. Every year is a battle in our district to fill the role of bus driver, but for most con-tractors in the region this may be the worst year and struggle they have had to fill those roles in as many years as they canremember. it seems that not a day goes by that the need is felt both within our operation, but within our district as well.
in conversation with local contractors as well as our school district, every operation is still currently looking to hire schoolbus drivers. i spoke with our Director of Transportation in our school district, and for the first time in 30 years, he is drivinga school bus route regularly. Our operation is dealing with this same issue, as i am sure many other contractors can relate.Currently myself who is our safety manager, our office manager, one of our two owners, and all four of our mechanics arecurrently driving morning and afternoon routes on a daily basis. This is hindering our main office duties, which can have thepotential to create issues both in the short and long term.
This conversation has come up on more than one occasion, and depending on whom you speak with, the reasoning for theissue at hand has several responses. Some blame the issue on driver wages, others blame it on the difficulty and timeinvolved in obtaining both a license and an endorsement, and others believe the increased screening for medical cards inhindering their ability to hire retired drivers. But, whatever is to blame, the issue seems tobe becoming an epidemic across the state and shows no sign of improving.
Our local newspaper wrote an article last week in regards to the employment difficulties inour region, more specifically the problem with the shortage of school bus drivers. The arti-cle indicated that every school district and contractor they contacted in our region is cur-rently looking to hire school bus drivers. They also provided some valuable data to goalong with their story as to why this may be an issue. Fortunately for our area the problemis we have a very low unemployment rate and a growing economy. in the Red River Val-ley there are currently 7232 job openings and only a little over 2200 people on unemploy-ment (source: http://www.inforum.com/content/f-ms-busing-blues) so in short there aremore job needs in our area than people to fill those positions.
in closing, i’m sure, as i have stated numerous times in this article that many of the othercontractors are dealing with the struggle. in my opinion, we need to work on this as anindustry to come together on this issue. We need to find new innovative ideas to improvethis problem before it gets any worse, though i am not sure what those answers are. Wealso need to make it a point on a daily basis to take care of and show our appreciation forthe drivers we currently have. They are becoming a commodity that is very hard to comeby, and will need to continue to show new incoming drivers the correct way to be a modelbus driver in our communities. We do this because; we transport the world’s most preciouscargo…
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A CONTINuINg SerIeS OF BOArD COmmeNTArIeS
News and Views
Save Big on New GM Vehicles through
MSBoA Benefit with GM Fleet & Commercial!!!!There is a new form for 2015! • See www.msboa.com for more information!
The MSBOA is offering a new benefit through GM Fleet & Commercial. Many of the vehicles you buy
including pick-ups, vans, and SUV’s are available at a discount for MSBOA Members. Go to www.
msboa.com for all of the information. Included is a list of all the vehicles eligible for the discount and how
much the discount is. There is also a form online on our website for you to print out and bring to your deal-
er that gives your dealer the proper fleet pricing code for our organization.
If you are planning to purchase new vehicles soon - be sure check it out and take advantage of these sav-
ings!
Looking for new training ideas for your currentdrivers? Looking to update some of your oldtraining materials for new drivers?
Look NO FuR-THER!!! in 2008,
MSBOA partnered with MAPT to create“inspecting your School Bus” DVD in HD.
Copies are available for immediate ship-ment. Please go to www.msboa.com forordering information.
The MSBOA Board met in October, President Rudy Lundahl asked the board members to reflect onthe current state of the industry. if you would like to take part in the industry round table, pleaseanswer the following questions and send them back via email at [email protected]
1. What are the five biggest challenges your operation faces?
2. What obstacles do you face on a daily basis?
3. Are there training issues that you could use help with?
4. What are the biggest challenges you see for the industry as a whole?
5. Are there issues that could be resolved legislatively or legislation that could be repealed?
Member survey
check OUT www.msboa.com
1. Connect Before You DirectBefore giving directions, get on the child’s eye level andengage in eye-to-eye contact to get his attention. Teach himhow to focus: “Mary, i need your eyes.” “Billy, i need yourears.” Offer the same body language when listening to thechild. Be sure not to make your eye contact so intense thatyour child perceives it as controlling rather than connecting.
2. Address The ChildOpen your request with the child’s name, “Lauren, will youplease…”
3. Stay Briefuse the one-sentence rule: Put the main directive in theopening sentence. The longer you ramble, the more likelyyou will be tuned out. Too much talking is a very commonmistake when dialoging about an issue.
4. Ask The Child to Repeat the Request Back to Youif he can’t, it’s too long or too complicated.
5. Be Positiveinstead of “no running,” try: “We walk to the bus.”
6. Begin your Directives With “I want.”instead of “Get down,” say “i want you to get down.” Thisworks well with children who want to please but don’t likebeing ordered. By saying “i want,” you give a reason for com-pliance rather than just an order.
7. “When…Then.”“When you get your seat belt on, then we’ll get goinghome.” “When you stop yelling, then you can talk aboutyour issues.” “When,” which implies that you expect obe-dience, works better than “if,” which suggests that thechild has a choice when you don’t mean to give him one.
8. Speak Developmentally CorrectlyThe younger the child, the shorter and simpler your direc-tives should be. Consider the child’s level of understand-ing. For example, a common error parents make is askinga three-year- old, “Why did you do that?” Most adults can’talways answer that question about their behavior. Tryinstead, “Let’s talk about what you did.”
9. Speak Socially CorrectlyEven a two-year-old can learn “please.” Children should-n’t feel manners are optional. Speak to children the wayyou want them to speak to you.
10. Speak Psychologically CorrectlyDon’t ask a leading question when a negative answer isnot an option. “Will you please pick up your papers?” Justsay, “Pick up your papers, please.”
11. Settle The ListenerBefore giving your directive, restore emotional equilibrium,otherwise you are wasting your time. Nothing sinks in whena child is an emotional wreck.
12. Replay Your MessageChildren often need to be told a thousand times. Do lessrepeating as the child gets older. Preteens regard repetitionas nagging. But the “broken record” technique can be quiteeffective.
13. Use Rhyme Rules“if you hit, you must sit.” Have the child repeat them.
14. Open Up a Closed ChildCarefully chosen phrases open up closed little minds andmouths. Stick to topics that you know the child gets excitedabout. Ask questions that require more than a yes or no.Stick to specifics. instead of “Did you have a good day atschool today?” try “What is the most fun thing you didtoday?”
15. Close The Discussionif a matter is really closed to discussion, say so. “i’m notchanging my mind about this. Sorry.” Or say, “i have to followthe school policy.” Reserve your “i mean business” tone ofvoice for when you do.
Fifteen Tips for communicating with childrenAdapted from Dr. Sears
eeoC Settles Age Discrimination Suit
Involving 75 and 76 year old Drivers
Earlier this month, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced that it had settled agediscrimination suits involving Atchison Transportation Services, inc. The South Carolina-based trans-portation company agreed to pay $85,000 and take additional action to resolve allegations of age dis-crimination after it fired 75 and 76-year-old motor coach divers because of their ages. As part of the set-tlement, the EEOC required Atchison Transportation to develop and implement a policy that prohibitsdiscrimination based on age in the future. it was also required to conduct preventive annual training onADEA requirements for employees, supervisors, and managers, report to the EEOC each time it dis-charges an employee who is over age of 40, and post a notice about the lawsuit in its Spartanburg facil-ity.
According to the EEOC, Atchison’s operations manager terminated the 75-year-old driver. in doing so,the manager allegedly told the employee that he had thought he was “only 70,” but because the employ-ee was actually 75, the company had to let him go. The manager also allegedly said that the company’sinsurance policy contained a clause that did not permit drivers to drive after they reached age 75. in asimilar situation, the same operations manager had discharged a 76 year old employee, also stating theemployee was fired because the company’s insurance carrier would no longer insure him. Accordingto the EEOC, the company’s insurance policy had no age restriction for coverage.
The Atchison Transportation case is a reminder that employers gener-ally cannot terminate an individual based upon their age alone.instead, employers must have a legitimate non-discriminatory reasonfor terminating employee, including for poor performance and inabilityto perform the essential functions of the job. As always, employersshould consider conferring with legal counsel before terminating olderworkers to minimize their risks of a wrongful discharge suit.
Legal Notes 9
hoTline Phone: (952) 921-4622
By Thomas Revnew, esq., of seaTon, PeTeRs & Revnew
Drug & Alcohol Testing Package $525 (includes 1 hour of attorney time – hourly
rates thereafter)
Ask for MSBOA discounts on Handbook ($100) and on D/A TestingPackage ($50)
Contact Tom Revnew
7300 Metro Blvd, Suite 500 | Minneapolis, MN 55439
Tel 952.921.4622 | Fax 952.896.1704 www.seatonlaw.com
Happy
Thanksgiving
10
Steve Latour read the Mission Statement.
Minutes from June meeting – Jim koonst made a motion toapprove, Brian koch seconded. Motion approved.
Treasurer’s Report – Questions about the costs on posters.Staff will update. Child Check Mate has expressed interestin buying.
Tom Hey made a motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report,Rudy seconded, Motion carried.
Industry Issues Round Table – Discussion items:Driver Shortage – getting them licensed timely manner,over-regulation, finding qualified drivers on a daily basis,hours of service issues, retaking general knowledge testsevery time there is a class change, issues with physicals –not very many are issued for 2 years, lots issued for 6months, 1 year, etc.,
Consistency – Getting correct information to everyone,communication
Training Issues - Pre-trip – Applicants can’t pass, consis-tency issues among testers. Follow up with the new driver.(questionnaire? Talk to them?) How to develop good pre-sentations. Veteran Driver Training
Training Ideas: Assistant County attorney to speak aboutchild neglect, mandated reporting, Ben Cockram – Specialneeds, State Patrol
Issues that could be resolved legislatively – Simplifica-tion, testing standard consistency, BCA – issues, Physicalfor non-DOT drivers
Unemployment for drivers…state pay vs. private pay,Competition with other drivers, Employees need more permonth, rather than a 2 hour job. Can make more staying onunemployment.
Dealing with Parents – Demand vs. Expectation – Notifica-tion to parents…Phone systems, texts home, Dispatchline…bad phone lines. Privacy issues. Place blame on bus.
Equipment Issues- Corrosion…Replacing exhaust sys-tems. Road spray, sodium and magnesia chloride. Clampslocations. Pricing. Fleet trucks and state has the sameissues. Study on its effect. State is going to stainless steelcomponent. Side exhaust. Regeneration system constantissue for buses– 2010 emissions better than 2007 emis-sions. Exhaust system doesn’t run hot enough to burn theparticulate because of stop and go.
Transit encroachment – Roads in bad shape – Spendingon transit. Exemption from fuel tax. Round about/diamondinterchange – can’t slow the traffic down.
Legal Report – An update to the data practices act will beforwarded to the board.
OSHA Reporting January 1, 2015, hospitalization of any per-son, you have to report . injuries and eye injuries have to bereported to OSHA within 24 hours.
Recommendation for Friday night/Saturday morning meet-ing first weekend in December. Staff will set up.
Nominations for the President: Tom Hey nominate RudyLundahl. Rayme Bernick seconded.
Rudy Lundahl nominated Josh Schiffler for Vice President.ken inselman seconded.
Rudy Lundahl nominated Brian koch for 2nd Vice President.Tom Hey seconded.
Rudy Lundahl nominated Tom Hey for secretary/treasurerposition. ken inselman seconded.
Jim koonst made a motion to cast a unanimous ballot asthere were no other nominations. Brian koch seconded.Motion carried.
Rudy Lundahl made a motion to appoint Paul Winterfeldt tofulfill Tom Burr’s remaining one year term. Tom Hey second-ed. Motion Carried.
Josh Schiffler will be going to the NCST in 2015. Possibilityof one more spot available.
Committee Reports - Winter Conference committee will bemeeting soon. January 16-17, 2015 in St. Paul.
PAC Committee – Spent about 90 minutes with Jeff John-son for Governor in late September.
MSBoA Drug Testing ProgramThe MSBOA has teamed up with Clinical Research Labs foryour drug testing needs as required for DOT testing. The pro-gram was designed to support the MSBOA and to help controlcosts for its members. For more information or to join the pro-gram contact: William Coens
eMPloyMeNT PrACTICeS lIABIlITy INSUrANCeChubb insurance, one of the largest EPL carriers in the coun-try, has partnered with the MSBOA and Ahmann-Martin to pro-vide a cost effective EPLi policy option containing all the typicalprotections often found within EPL policies along with a fewother additional protections. Claims such as “wrongful dis-charge” claims, wage and hour and immigration claims are cov-ered under this policy. Additionally, Chubb and Ahmann-Martinhave agreed to share a portion of their profits with the MSBOAarising out of the sale of this product to the membership. Fur-thermore the policy will allow members to choose Seaton,Peters and Revnew as their legal counsel, if they wish, todefend against any employment-related lawsuit rather thanbeing appointed to the insurance company’s counsel who maynot have experience in the transportation industry.
JAkE OMANN, Ahmann-Martin Risk & Benefits Consulting3600 American Blvd. W. Suite 500 | Bloomington, MN 55431P: 952-358-7570 | F: 952-358-7501 | M: 612-207-3728
Trusted employees has put together a special offer for
MSBOA Members. We will be posting the information on ourwebsite. Make sure to log in the Members Benefit section formore details.
International onCommand Account Hoglund Bus Company has provided access to anyone who isa member of the MSBOA to international’s OnCommand iCBus Service Portal. you can look up warranty information anddiagnostic support.
Contact Linda Rein at Hoglund’s: 763-271-2950.
other BenefitsAdditionally, through our partnership with Business Advantagewe are able to offer savings at Grainger, Office Max and OfficeDepot, HP as well as fuel at Holiday. All of these offers are onour website.
AC Delco/Factory Motor PartsThe MSBOA has partnered with AC/Delco Factory Motor Partsto enable cost savings for you on your OEM parts.
Representatives from AC/Delco Factory Motor Parts will be incontact with your operation to see if they can help you savemoney on parts.
MsBOa Member special OffersAs part of an on-going effort to supply you with added value to your MSBOA membership, we offer the following programs:
As ideas for proposed Legislation of begin with a Television story, i would not be surprised if some enterprising Legislatorintroduces a proposal to have school buses equipped with both a tracking GPS and a directional GPS for the driver to main-tain being on route.
MSBOA, as well as some of our members, was recently contacted by a Twin Cities Television station asking for commentregarding child safety in regards to children being left unattended on a bus after the termination of a route. As you may recall,last Legislative Session a Bill began to proceed through the Legislative process that would have suspend a driver’s “S”endorsement for one year for leaving a child unattended on a school bus. The suspension, as proposed, would have thesuspension occur whether the student was left for 5 minutes or 5 hours. ultimately, the Legislature decided not to proceedin that direction, the Bill failed to progress through the process.
MSBOA produced a press release stating the reasons for MSBOA’s concerns with the proposal and to highlight what MSBOAand members are doing to promote safety and increase awareness of necessity of preforming thorough post-trip inspections.At this time we have not seen a story and do not know when or if a story will be produced. However, October 30 through
November 26 is what is known as “sweeps week (s), when the Neilson Company sets ratings for stations which then deter-mines advertising rates a station charges. During the period, news stations have been known to shop for “investigative sto-ries” that are dark and scary that sensationalize an issue to present the illusion of imminent harm or danger, especially tochildren. The Legislature may or may not revisit this issue of sanctions on drivers next year.
Hope everyone voted. if members have any questions, ideas, or comments please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or call me at 612-723-5168.
